


Keys of Knowledge

by grenouillenue



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Glee
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2013-03-23
Packaged: 2017-12-04 05:24:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/707049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grenouillenue/pseuds/grenouillenue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt Hummel is at school in NY, someone else shows up</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kurt's Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I have done more research for this than anything else I've done but there will still be holes in my information and some things I don't really feel I needed the specific information, also I may be using more of the official information which may not be the actual perception  
> This is my first new fiction in quite a few years.  
> Betad by CouldIBeAnymoreofaGleek - Thank you

Tomorrow, he's moving to New York for his new beginning, he hasn't been this nervous since he auditioned for New Directions in his sophomore year.

Kurt is starting at Tisch on Monday taking Drama; Musical Theatre. He didn't get into NYADA with Rachel, she was getting that dream and he was going to be in that city with her fighting his way to the top. He was strong; he made sure he had a backup plan. A backup plan, he thought incredulously with a soft chuckle, he had more than one other option for September. 

He still wasn't sure that performing was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life; he loved it but was it his future? He applied to design school as well. He had been accepted into Columbus College and Parsons for design, as well as getting into Elon University in North Carolina for Musical Theatre as well as Tisch. Once he got the letters from Tisch and Parsons he knew where he was going, New York had been his dream for too long to let it go. He actually deferred his admission to Parsons for a year(1), thinking that he might change schools next year depending on how the next 10 months go for him. 

Another thing that was making him anxious was that he was not going to be living with Rachel, as they had been talking about for the past months. Burt had convinced him that he needed to stay in dorm for at least a year. He was ecstatic when he found out that not only was his dorm right off Broadway but he had been placed in the New Studio: Music Theatre and Acting program for his Professional Training for the next two years, if he stayed at Tisch. The New Studio was RIGHT on Broadway.

His nerves were tempered by Blaine's absence and Burt's presence. He and Blaine have agreed to try and make their long distance relationship work. Blaine is still at McKinley, for another 5 months. Kurt is thankful that Blaine's extra credits from Dalton helped him graduate early.(2) He can't imagine how he would cope with 10 months of separation. Thinking of Blaine keeps him subdued because he misses him. 

Burt, on the other hand, has always been a calming influence on Kurt. As he thinks, his father steps up beside him and slings his arm around his shoulders. They're standing outside his dorm, looking up at the building where he will be spending the next 10 months.

"You made it! You're here. Go live your dream," says Burt, stepping through the door with a box under his arms. Kurt looks around at the city, smiles and follows his father inside.

 

1.A few people I know in different programs have deferred their education for up to a year.

2.I actually graduated 5 months early from High School; it is completely possible especially in the semester system.


	2. Dawn's Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurt is in New York, and so is someone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve changed the timeline; imagine Chosen happens in Kurt’s final year of high school.

Fandom: BTVS – Cross with Glee  
Characters: Dawn Summers & Kurt Hummel, slash in later chapters  
Rating: G for now  
Prompt: 71 - Broken  
Word Count: 599

 

New York? Everyone else was going to these new places, these exotic, exciting places and she was stuck in the states? Granted, Giles is in Cleveland keeping an eye on the new Hellmouth and Faith and Robin are rounding up new slayers around the country but it’s not the same. Willow and Kennedy are in South America, Xander has opted to go to Africa and Buffy, and well she’s having a little trouble coping with not being the only one anymore. Though she hasn’t actually been the only one for more than 5 years, not since she drowned in The Master’s lair. She doesn’t know how to connect with anyone now; she’s taking some time off and figuring out who she is when she’s just Buffy. For some reason she can’t do that with Dawn around. 

“Wow I’m depressing.” Said Dawn out of the blue, earning her a strange look from the older woman sitting next to her on the plane from Cleveland.  
At this point Dawn decided that it was time to make the most out of this, forced exile to the east coast. She comforted herself with the fact that she was still going to be able to help the Council. She was studying Anthropology-linguistics and History, Giles had pulled some strings with some of the remaining council contacts and she was going to be auditing most of the courses for Religious Studies. Anything that would help the council and the slayers. They’d offered her some time to relax and enjoy being off the Hellmouth but she wanted to be useful. She’d spent enough time in the last year fighting against her destiny and her family. She knew, when Buffy tried to get Xander to take her away from the final battle in Sunnydale, that she never wanted to be useless again. She knew she could never compete with the slayers for strength but she was going to be the best watcher there ever was. She knew how slayers thought, she knew how to deal with the H&H’s, well not deal with but... She knew how to keep the fridge for the slayer metabolism the only problem was keeping her hand out of the junk food. 

Lost in thought soon she was getting out of the cab at her new residence. She tipped the driver and looked up at Brittany Hall where she would be living. She started wheeling her suitcase up the stairs; suddenly the wheel broke, sending her toppling into an older man walking down the stairs.  
“I got ya” said the man in his flannel shirt and baseball cap, catching Dawn around her upper arms.  
“Thanks”  
Once she steadied herself he reached out and grabbed her suitcase “What floor?”  
“The 7th floor” Dawn said, embarrassed “I can get it”  
“Nonsense!” he said “I think I can make one more trip up these stairs. Which room?”  
“Thank you, it says 708S”  
“My son’s your neighbour.” He says as they reach the 7th floor. “Are you moving on your own?”  
“Yea my sister’s staying in Rome for now and the rest of my family is scattered around the globe” Dawn answered unsure how to explain the Scoobies.  
As they made their way down the hall Dawn took back her suitcase and an immaculately dressed young man came out of suite 7.  
“Dad,” he said exasperated, “you were supposed to go sit in the car. I was going to meet you there. What about your heart!”  
“Kurt, I met your new neighbour” he said completely avoiding the issue of his heart.  
“Hi, I’m Kurt Hummel”  
“Dawn Summers”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made Dawn a lot sadder than I planned it.  
> For those who don’t know the H&H’s are the hungry’s and horny’s that slayers experience after.  
> I know Brittany hall was closed for the 2012-2013 school year. Also it shows on nyu(.)edu that Brittany is not a Freshman hall but one site did say that it had been a Freshman Residence just go with it, I liked that it was on Broadway. Also they walked up the stairs because there were no free elevators due to the massive amount of people moving in.


	3. Interlude 1: Kurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look at Kurt's first week in NY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own BTVS or Glee they belong to Joss and RIB

Date: Sunday September 9, 2012  
To: Blaine.Anderson@McKinnley.edu

Hi,

How are things at McKinnley? I know we just talked yesterday but I wanted tell you about my first week in New York. The parties this weekend were insane. I've got four roommates, the last one just arrived today. His name is Arden Gunn, he's from LA. I can't believe that someone would choose to leave LA and come here, where it is cold. He seems a little strange, he was limping when he arrived. I am so glad he's in the other room because they guys were complaining about him talking in his sleep, calling out for someone named Alonna. My room-mate Malcolm seems fine, he's quiet and seems more or less normal. He was extremely into the partying this weekend, and he didn't come home last night but I hope he isn't too much of a partyer.

How is New Directions? Is Mr. Shue talking about new soloists, now that Rachel and 'Cedes are gone? How are your classes?

I miss you, I'm surprised I made it to the end of the e-mail before I wrote that, I MISS YOU!

I love you soo much, I can't wait until you come and visit me.

Love, Kurt  
***********************************************************************************************************

Date: Monday, September 10, 2012  
To: hukurt@nyu.edu

I MISS YOU TOO! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

McKinley is good, we've started competing to see who will be the "new Rachel". Just so you know none of the new students are at your level. I decided to run for council president, Britt is running again. Classes are easy, I can't wait to see you again either. I think I can come visit near the end of October. :)

You will do great at NYU. I know you didn't ask how I thought you would do but I can hear it in your voice every time we talk. I hope your room-mates don't give you too much trouble. They seem nice from what you've told me.

There's a new guy in glee named Jake, he's Puck's half-brother. I don't even think that Puck knew he existed. He's pretty good but he seems to have a bit of Puck's attitude.

Have you or Rachel heard from Finn? No one in Lima has heard anything from him since he went off to the army.

Love you, miss you

Blaine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read and respond


	4. Making Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurt and Dawn interaction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to put this chapter in first person, either Kurt of Dawn’s POV but this chapter has both of them interacting and I want there to be some behind the scenes info for both of them, so it is in 3rd person for this chapter but it may change in the next chapter.  
> This chapter is for werestillflying my very first reviewer, one of Kurt’s roommates is named after a character from a TV show we both enjoy

I wanted to put this chapter in first person, either Kurt of Dawn’s POV but this chapter has both of them interacting and I want there to be some behind the scenes info for both of them, so it is in 3rd person for this chapter but it may change in the next chapter.  
This chapter is for werestillflying my very first reviewer, one of Kurt’s roommates is named after a character from a TV show we both enjoy.

After their first meeting, Kurt and Dawn don’t see each other for two weeks. They are both caught up in trying to find their own rhythm and adjust to life in New York that they don’t even spare a thought for each other. Kurt practically forgot her until his father asks about her on the phone that weekend.  
Kurt pauses for a minute “I’m not sure.”  
“I hope she’s doing alright, she said her sister was in Rome and she never mentioned her parents.” answered Burt. Kurt couldn’t keep himself from laughing under his breath. Burt really couldn’t stop his habit of adopting strays and people who seemed alone or lonely. He was surprised that it took Burt two weeks to ask about her.  
“I will talk to her tomorrow.” Kurt said half serious, half trying to placate his father before he transitioned, not very smoothly, into complaining about the general education requirements for his degree. A few minutes later Kurt sighed and looked over at his desk at the reading he should start. He said goodbye to Burt and cringed at the thought of staying up to finish reading. “At least tomorrow is Sunday” he said to no one in particular, his roommate Malcolm raised his head and looked at him.  
“What?” he said thinking Kurt was talking to him.  
“Just talking to myself Mal, go back to your nap.” Kurt looked at his books and realised that he couldn’t leave all of it till tomorrow, he was meeting Rachel at a coffee shop around the corner to discuss how their first weeks had gone.  
Sunday morning came all too early. Kurt had finished all of his readings for the next 3 days. He was feeling ‘keen’ for the first week of school, but he knew it wouldn’t last.  
He got up and started getting ready for the day. Mal had commented on his morning and evening routines earlier in the week and Kurt quickly realised that in order to get uninterrupted time in the bathroom he had to get up early. He really wasn’t used to sharing a room or bathroom. After Burt and Carole got married they moved, so he hadn’t had to share with Finn and both boys had their own bathrooms. Now he was one of 5 guys using the bathroom in their suite. He was by far the most ‘high maintenance’ one of the group.  
Kurt walked out of his room, through the attached room, careful not to wake the sleeping boys. He closed the door quietly and locked it behind him, checking that he had his ID card and his wallet. He turned to leave and ran straight into Dawn, knocking them both to the ground.  
“Sorry” Kurt said rubbing his hip where he had landed.  
“Are you ok?” Dawn asked, then she realised who she ran into and laughed. Kurt looked at her like she was insane. “Sorry, it must be something about your family. I literally fell into your dad on the stairs when I moved in.”  
“Are you all settled?” Kurt asked getting up off the floor.  
“More or less, the rest of my stuff just arrived yesterday.” By that she meant that Penni had appeared with her stuff in her dorm room, mere seconds after her roommate had left. “Any plans for the day?” she asked Kurt.  
“Yea, I’m going for coffee with a friend from high school who goes to NYADA.” Kurt said noticing that Dawn was looking a little lost and lonely;  
“NYADA?”  
“New York Academy of Dramatic Arts, we’re just going for coffee, did you want to join us?” Kurt asked. Okay maybe he had a little bit of his dad’s penchant for adopting strays.  
“Really.” Dawn said eagerly, “That’d be great, just let me put my books away.”

 

Kurt and Dawn walked into La Pâtesserie Quotidienne, a coffee shop two blocks away from their residence. Rachel of course is already there, sitting, not quite patiently, in the corner watching the door for Kurt’s entrance. She already has his coffee in her hand so Kurt motions for Dawn to get her coffee and join them.  
“Who’s the girl?”  
“Her name’s Dawn she’s my neighbour. Dad ran into her when he moved me in, I think he’s adopted her from a distance.”  
“Oh, alright”  
“Hi.” Dawn said with a little wave, sitting down next to Kurt.  
“Dawn this is Rachel, Rachel this is Dawn.”  
“Hi, where are you from?” Rachel asked.  
“Sunnydale.” Dawn answered, feeling uncomfortable with the way Rachel was looking at her, the sheer intensity in her eyes.  
“That’s the town that sunk last year, isn’t it?” Rachel asked  
“Wow” Kurt turned to her as well, unsure what to ask next, thinking about having your entire town fall into a sinkhole.  
“Yea, that’s the look everyone gets when I tell them where I grew up. Home, if you can call it that, is Cleveland now.”  
“Cleveland, really?”  
“Yea, Buffy moved to Rome so now I’m staying with Giles and Faith in Cleveland.”  
“Buffy?” Rachel asked bluntly.  
“Yea, my sister.”  
“Oh, Kurt do you think I should cut my hair?”  
“Well, Rach that was a bit of a non sequitur.” Kurt said giving Dawn a sympathetic look.  
“It’s fine, my family isn’t really easy to explain.”  
Rachel, Kurt and Dawn finished their coffees and talked about their classes. It turned out Kurt and Dawn were both in the same French course. About an hour and a half after they arrived, Rachel and Dawn exchanged cell-phone numbers and Dawn and Kurt headed back to Brittany House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read and review – THANK YOU  
> The first 6 reviewers will get to name the remaining roommates for Kurt and Dawn. They won’t play a giant part in the story but they will be mentioned a few times. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. (Just first names)  
> My coffee shop is loosely based on Le Pain Quotidien that I found online.  
> I was going to have this happen the first weekend at school but I don’t want to write the end of FROSH/Orientation week and the parties that usually happen that weekend.  
> I don’t know what the schedule would look like for a first year student at NYU, I’m going to base this off of my university experience and what I can glean from the nyu website. If anyone knows how many courses students take per semester at Tisch let me know.  
> P.S. did anyone see the Naya (Santana) M&Ms ad? I love it.


	5. Interlude 2 - Dawn

Dear Buffy,

 

I hope you get this letter soon. Giles told me he would get this to Andrew in Rome but who knows if it will get to you any time soon. 

NYU is a big change from spending my days in Giles' library in Clevelandand an even bigger change from being in Sunnydale. The first two weeks were difficult, I didn't know anyone and my room mates all get along great, but they remind me of Harmony. Maybe a little smarted, because they did get into university. Last weekend I literally ran into my neighbour Kurt who I met while I was moving in. He invited me to go for coffee with him and one of his friends from High School. Her name was Rachel and she goes to NYADA; New York Academy for the Dramatic Arts. She's basically Cordelia with musical talent, she has the same understanding of tact as Cordelia did.

I think Kurt is gay, he hasn't said anything but I caught him discretely checking out guys on the streets when we went for coffee. I don't know how to let him know that I don't care, I think I'm going to tell him about Willow and Tara Kennedy later. 

Classes are as hard as I expected, they'll probably get harder as we go along but all of my extra research with Giles and his prep have really helped me. Also I found the best pizza ever down the street from my building, they even have anchovies. 

Hope to hear from you soon.

Love  
Dawn

*****************************************************************************************************************************************

Dawn,

I hope you’re settling in well. New York, I used to dream about getting out of Sunnydale and learning. I loved university. I always wanted to learn, I remember that in High school knowledge was frowned upon. I had to work to learn but on a university campus the energy. I remember telling your sister that I could feel my mind opening up and letting the penetrating force of the collective intelligence thrust into my mind and spurt knowledge. You’re probably looking at me the same way Buffy did and I will state for the record that, that sentence ended up somewhere completely different from where it started and from where I thought it was going. 

Are you settling in well? How are your room-mates? I remember Buffy’s first room-mate was a demon who tried to suck out her soul. (It also turned her into a bitch) Mine was a total party girl; I lived at the library for the first two weeks before I moved in with Buffy. 

Kennedy and I are travelling around South America looking for potentials; we've found a few in the last few weeks. We also found this really interesting tablet outside of El Altar in Ecuador. I sent it to Giles but here’s a rubbing of the tablet and I'll send you an e-mail with the pictures I took of the volcano and the area where we found the tablet. 

I hope you are doing well, Kennedy and I will be back in the country for Christmas.

Love  
Willow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of Willow's letter is paraphrased from "The Freshman"
> 
> Please Read and Respond

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a response, let me know what you think good or bad - no flames please


End file.
